Music I Write To

Monday, November 10, 2008

Oprah is Articulate Fo Sho!

This doesn't really relate to my writing a book, except perhaps to show how quickly our own perceptions become something very solid very quick.

I'm waiting for my next Robert Jordan book to come in, and I picked up a book I hadn't read yet that I'd bought at a thrift store a few weeks ago. I'd heard of it somewhere, but I couldn't really place it. It came out when I was pretty busy getting my own life in order with a new baby and little things like that, so I wasn't super aware of what was going on with pop culture in the outside world. I knew that it had been a big deal though, so I figured it would be worth a try.

Yeah, well, just in case you were living under the same rock I was, he's the author who "duped Oprah". She actually said to him on her show that she "felt duped." Me too.

He published his book as nonfiction, and there's controversy about how many liberties he took in his "memoir" about addiction, and entering a program, and successfully beating those addictions.

I wasn't aware of any of this when I started reading it last night. After the first two pages, I was pretty sure it was going to go on my very long list of great books that I love and will recommend.

I read to page 73 before I went to sleep last night. This morning I picked it up and started telling my husband about what I was reading. He actually listened longed enough to hear me mention the title, and that's when he popped my glorious little bubble by telling me about controversy surrounding it.

Yeah, no wonder I remembered hearing about it. (*sigh*)

I looked online and looked up information on it, and now I'm kind of upset my husband chose this book of all books to pay attention to when I talked about it. I was so into it, it was so great! And I thought it was true, really his journey to Hell and back.

But now I'm not so sure. If I'd started it knowing it was fiction, I don't think I'd have any problems. But as it is, I don't even know if I'm going to read it anymore. Which is really sad. It feels like waking up on Christmas morning, being surrounded by presents, and then being told Santa is a big, fat, lie. It really just takes the enjoyment out completely. For me at least.

Maybe I will finish reading it some day, and I know the story is amazing, whether it's fiction or not. It is still the kind of story that pulls me in, and I know I'll enjoy it. But I feel robbed of the...innocence, I guess is the word...that comes from opening a book, taking in the story, and forming an opinion. I feel like if I read it now, I wouldn't really take in the story, I'd just read it while wondering on a deeper level, "Did this happen? Was this real?", and that really takes the magic out for me.

Ugh, what a drag. That's exactly how I feel now...draggy. I need to find another book to read while I'm waiting, one that I can lose myself in and forget my disappointment. Any suggestions?

4 comments:

Oh wow. I am so sorry. I was bunking with you under the same rock. I had heard very little about the book and the author. I did laugh out loud when you said your husband listened to you long enough...Of course I would recommend the Twilight series but you are already a fan. I am more of a read the Craigslist ads reader!

So, I went up to my daughter's room to see what books she reads. (She reads all day long) And, there is a book called When Darkness Comes. So, I opened it to see if it was worth mentioning. I opened it to a pretty, hot, sex scene. I am more at a shock that my 12 year old daughter was reading this book. But, Um, yeah...I got pretty lost in it! :) HA HA (want me to send you the book? Cause I am giving it away while she is at school!) I need to monitor these things better. I guess Stephanie Meyer is a dime a dozen! Good Luck!

Haha, I'll definitely have to check that book out! Are you a fan of Twilight too? I think one of the reasons I liked the series so much was the fact that they didn't actually do more than kiss until the very end...all that anticipation was sizzling!

Well...I guess this answer about the Twilight series will show who I really am: Well...everybody I know has read it. I even went to the Stephanie Meyer concert with Blue October in Seattle. But, there is so many things that scare me about the book. 1) The passion between the characters. Will I be left feeling sad that I don't have that? 2) The realness of the characters. I have watched my daughter cry when the series ended. I have seen my good friend create Renesmee on Myspace to keep her alive. I have seen mourning of the ending of the series that I am scared to feel. That is what it is: I am scared to feel!!! Wow, thanks for the light bulb moment! :)

You.went.to.the.concert.with.Stephenie.Meyer. I'm going to take a moment to contain my jealousy.

Ok, I'm better. I totally agree with you about the intensity of that book. I'm old enough to know better, to understand the fantasy, and I still get completely sucked into it. I cannot imagine having those teenage hormones ruling my brain and trying to deal with something that unattainable. I think of it as the Disney Effect: Growing up watching Disney movies, where they all end happy, the Princess gets her Prince, gave my generation false expectations about love. Call me crazy, it's ok.

At the same time it's what I love about books and writing in general. That ability to completely lose yourself, be part of something else, to actually have that perfect scenario, vicariously through fiction. It's kind of a double edged sword I suppose.

And your're welcome for the lightbulb, I love it when that happens to me!!